MidTESOL Matters Spring 2001

Alexandria, VA (October 2000)—Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc. (TESOL), announces its 35th annual convention and exposition—TESOL 2001. More than 8,000 language professionals will enter the "Gateway to the Future" at the America's Center, Cervantes Convention Center, in St. Louis, Missouri, February 27-March 3, 2001. 

A gateway to both past and future, TESOL 2001 will offer ESOL professionals a penetrating look at their profession—its achievements as a discipline in the 21st century and its prospects for the future. More than 1,500 events will focus on the ideas that have shaped the field and the trends and technologies that will define it in the new century. The Gateway Arch sets the backdrop, as language educators gather in St. Louis, a center for bilingual education a century ago and home today for people from more than 75 different countries. 

In his opening plenary, "The Humor Touch: A Universal Language," Duncan MacLeod will illustrate how a grand sense of humor is the key to a balanced perspective. Donald Freeman will examine the principles of teacher-research in second language teaching at the Research Symposium 2001, "Teacher Research and What Teachers Know: Searching for Common Ground." Barbara Schwarte, TESOL President, will also be a featured speaker and will discuss "The Role of Gender in Language Teaching and Learning." 

In “From the Fishbowl to the Open Seas: Taking a Step Toward the Real World of

Communication," featured speaker, Kensaku Yoshida, will discuss hotly debated questions being asked throughout Japan and many other non-English-speaking countries: Should English become the second official language of Japan? Should English be taught in elementary school? What can be done about the infamous entrance examinations? How can we better train English teachers? Another featured speaker, Art Love, will discuss the controversial topic of bilingual

education and its future in the United States. As the U.S. Department of Education reevaluates the needs of language training for language minority youth, this session, "The Future of Bilingual Education and the Role of ESOL in the United States," has never been more current. 

Offering several scenarios for the future of language teaching, Theodore Rogers will discuss content basics in "A Contented View of Language Teaching in the Once New Millennium." The history and role of the professional association and its relevance in the next century is the subject of “Future Perfect: Lessons for a 21st Century TESOL," presented by Denise McKeon. McKeon will also discuss the policy arena in the United States and suggest new opportunities for the involvement of professional associations in the lives of language teachers. In the final plenary session, Neil Anderson will provide a glimpse of what the future holds for the ESOL profession in "The Gateway to the Future of the Profession." This panel will discuss the future of four key areas: EFL and elementary education, bilingual education and ESOL instruction, teacher preparation, and research. 

Featuring these speakers as well as hundreds of relevant sessions, discussion groups, and networking opportunities, TESOL 2001 offers language educators the chance to develop the skills they will need in the years ahead. Language teachers, program directors, curriculum developers, linguists, media specialists, bilingual educators, professionals working with refugees, and

others will all find something of value at this premier event. 

More highlights of TESOL 2001 include

• Pre- and Post-convention Institutes. Leading ESL/EFL experts will conduct more than 30 half- and full-day sessions on Monday and Tuesday, February 26 and February 27, and Saturday, March 3.
• Strands. A set of related hot topic sessions scheduled throughout the convention. On Saturday, presenters within each strand will join together to summarize the week's events. Sample strand topics include teacher education, English as a foreign language, and adult education.
• CALL Room and Technology Sessions. The TESOL Computer-Assisted Language Learning Interest Section hosts the “Electronic Village,” including an Internet fair, software fair, and developers' showcase. The Electronic Village offers consulting, discussions, demonstrations, and open hours to try new media.
• TESOL Exposition. Open February 28-March 3, the exposition will feature 300 booths with the latest professional texts and classroom resources.
• Employment Clearinghouse. Hundreds of recruiters and job seekers will convene at the Employment Clearinghouse, TESOL's annual job fair, to network, attend employment-related programs, and participate in job-search workshops.

For more information on TESOL 2001, visit TESOL On-line at http://www.tesol.org/conv/index, call TESOL's fax-on-demand at 1-800-329-4469 and request Document 541, or contact TESOL's Convention Department at 700 South Washington Street, Suite 200, Alexandria, Virginia 22314 USA, Tel. 703-836-0774, Fax 703-8367864, E-mail conventions@tesol.org.

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